<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Finding Home by jelisa_allen_2002</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29666160">Finding Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jelisa_allen_2002/pseuds/jelisa_allen_2002'>jelisa_allen_2002</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:20:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,102</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29666160</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jelisa_allen_2002/pseuds/jelisa_allen_2002</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Emily Prentiss meets the daughter she gave up at 15, After tragedy strikes will they be able to build a bond and become a family or will it end in disaster? Emily will have to rely on her family at BAU and her daughter will get a family that she has never experienced before.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” —Abraham Lincoln.</p><p>THIRD POV<br/>It was a typical sunny Tuesday afternoon in Washington DC. The Dells Coffee House was busy as usual at 7 am. In the city where politics are Centre stage, it was easy to tell who was a politician or law enforcement. Living in DC long enough, you get good at figuring out who works where and feds are easily seen as they usually have the badges on display.</p><p>As the morning began, three women had no idea that their lives were about to be forever altered. 13-year-old Riley Davis got up, got dressed and ready for school like every other day. Her mother, Ally Davis, got up, took her medication and got prepared for work. They both left the house at 7:15 to get coffee at their favourite local shop before the day started.</p><p>Emily Prentiss got up on a Tuesday morning to get ready for work. Emily made sure the clothing in her go-bag was replaced with fresh dry cleaned clothes. Then Emily went to her car and drove to Dell's coffee house. Emily had discovered the shop while out shopping with Jj and Garcia. When Emily got to the coffee shop, she opened the door for this elderly couple there every morning like clockwork. <br/>As Emily gets in line, she looks around at everyone in the shop, the young college students with a pile of books, the professionals trying to get in a bit of work with their morning breakfast. Emily knocked out of her daydream. As Emily turns back toward the counter, someone bumps her arm. Emily can feel that coffee landing on her shoes. Emily looks down to see it’s a young girl. The girl looks up at Emily “ oh my god, I am sorry.” Emily smiles “it’s ok” the young girl nods her head and turns around to grab Emily some napkins when she hears another woman's voice. Emily assumes that it’s the girl’s mother cut. She can’t tell for sure as their backs are facing the napkin station. </p><p>The young girl walks back over to Emily. She hands her a few napkins. Emily then bends down to clean off her shoe. When she stands up, the young girl smiles and introduces herself “ again, sorry about that, I am Riley,” Emily responds and holds her hand “ok, it’s fine, I’m Emily” they shake hands. <br/>Emily looks up as who she assumes is the girl’s mother walks over. Not looking up, the woman speaks to her daughter, “ did you apologize to the lady about spilling your coffee. When the older woman said, the pair made eye contact. For a second, Emily thought that time had stopped all tougher. By the look in the woman’s eyes, she had recognized Emily as well. Emily nodded at the woman and the young girl. She rushed out of the coffee shop, forgetting the one she had already ordered.</p><p>Once Emily was able to get back to her car, she drove off to the FBI headquarters. When she was through security and parked, Emily took a few breaths to compose herself before going into the office. Emily always had an excellent poker face, but she would have to take it to another level after the morning events if she planned on keeping things to herself. Who was she kidding? Emily works with some of the best profiles in the world.</p><p>As Emily walks into the fib and heads into the security line to get up to the office, she notices Jj on the phone and walks over to get in the same line.  Jj fishes her call and hangs up the phone. JJ puts her gun, badge and bag in the grey tray and slides through the medical detector. Jj turns around to see Emily spaced out, looking at the wall “ hello, earth to Emily” Emily comes out of her trance “ sorry what” Emily then looks around and quickly puts her things in the tray and walks through the metal detector. Jj raises her eyebrows “what’s going on with you this morning?’ Emily moves heads towards that elevator with Jj right behind her. Emily answers, “nothing wrong, just one of those mornings.”</p><p>Once on their floor, the door opens, and Emily rush's out. Before jj can follow, Hotch asks jj to look at something, and the pair walk off to his office. Emily goes directly to her desks, puts her bag down then goes off to a washroom to collect herself. At moments like this, she wished she had an office instead of being in the bullpen with Morgan and Reid. After about five minutes, she gets a text from Garcia that they have a case. Being the last to walk into the briefing room, everyone looks at Emily then puts their attention back on jj. Emily is zones out for more of the briefing, although she hears the full briefing, actually processing what she hears is a different story. Emily comes back to reality when she hears hotch say, “wheel up in 30.” Emily stands up and walks out of the briefing room when jj pulls her aside and into her office. </p><p> </p><p>EMILY’S POV </p><p>Jj pulled me into her office. Although I know what she’s going to ask, I hope she doesn’t. I sit down in one chair, and JJ sits access from me. Jj leans forwards and grabs my hand. Out of everyone, I trust jj the most, plus she can keep things to herself. “ Emily, what’s going on with you this morning? I mean, you have been out since you got here. Everything seemed fine last night when we met for drinks?” I look down and take a steadying breath “ have you ever looked at our files? I know you have access.?” jj shakes her head “ no.” </p><p>I look up at her “ you know my mother was a diplomat, and that I moved around a lot as a kid, right” jj again nods her head. “ Well, what don't you know that when I was 15, I lived in Spain and although I had grown used to being the new girl in school by the time my mother got a posting in Spain that was my 5th school I think. The school was all kids of Politicians, other diplomats and rich kids.”</p><p>jj smiles at me. “I can understand when I was 15, I was known as the girl whose sister killed herself. ” I take a deep breath, “ jj squeezes my hand “ come on em, talk to me” I give jj a half-smile as she moves even closer to me “ when I started that school, god, I wanted to be popular so bad, to fit in. At the time, my mother said that we would be in Spain for at least a year, so while trying to become popular, that led me to a lot of partying, drinking and i” I stop to take a deep breath and finish since I was 15 years old. I have never told anyone. “I umm ended up getting pregnant, I uh I, I wouldn’t and couldn’t at the time get an abortion, so my mother pulled me from school, and I stayed with an aunt until I gave the baby up for adoption.” </p><p>Jj just looks at me, “ wow, Emily, I had no idea. I am so sorry you had to go through all that. Jj looks at the floor and asks, “ Emily, what has you so spooked because we have been to a lot of brutal crime scenes, and you don’t bat an eye?.” I take a few short breaths “to be honest, I hadn’t thought about it in years, it was a closed adoption that my mother had arranged. I only saw the woman who adopted my baby for a second. Still, I have never forgotten her face, and I uh I saw her in Dell’s coffee this morning with her daughter, my daughter” it feels like a weight has been lifted off me in the last 14 years ago. I have never told anyone. We stand up; JJ hugs me, our phones go off with a text from Hotch saying that the jet is ready to go. </p><p>I ask jj as we walk out of her office, “ where are we going again ?” She smiles and hands me her tablet. “we’re going to Boulder City, Colorado. There’s a guy who is raping, then strangling women to death after he kidnapped them off the street. I got caught up on what was missed in the briefing before we got on the jet. After we discussed the case and where to start, Hotch wanted to hit the ground running as this guy’s time frame was ramping up once we landed. I attempted to get some sleep before we landed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Moving Forward or Stepping Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you can see.” —Winston Churchill.</p><p>REILLY'S POV</p><p>After I bump into the woman in the coffee shop, mom walks over to us. The look on her face, she had this sacred yet shocked look on her face. The woman ran out of the coffee shop. I looked just mom as the women took off. I had just brushed it off, but it shook mom. I just went on about my day. During lunch, Caroline and I sit in the cafeteria when I told her what happened at Dell’s that morning. She made a joke that maybe the woman was my biological mother. Of course, I told her it was nuts, but in the back of my mind, I couldn’t let it go. After school, a few friends and I would usually go to a coffee shop to hang out and finish any homework. Then around 5, I would walk home, and mom would be home from work by then. </p><p>As we walk out of school, Caroline asks me, “ Hey, want to split a muffin when we get to the coffee shop” I shook my head. “No, I am going right home today,” she just smirked at me “you’re going home to route through your mom’s stuff, aren’t you” we walk to the crosswalk. I smirk and shrug my shoulders, then cross the street, going towards my house. I got home and put away the dishes from last night’s dinner. </p><p>After that, I go upstairs, and my mom keeps all their essential documents in a locked filing cabinet in her closet. I had developed a bit of a knack for lock picking with a paperclip as mom forgets to leave the keys in the mailbox for me. It takes a few minutes, but I manage to get the cabinet to open. Lucky mom’s relatively organized, so it does not take a lot of time to find my adoption file. I always knew I was adopted. It was never something she hid from me. I heard of other kids who were adopted who try to find their birth parents. I had never had the desire to find them. </p><p>I finally found my adoption agreement. There was a lot that was blank and not filled out, but from what I could tell, my birth mother was a young teenager when she had me, and her initials are E.P. As I’m reading, I get a text from mom saying she will be home in 20 with dinner. While putting the files away, I am taking pictures of each document. I make it to the couch and turn the tv on as mom opens the door.</p><p>I set the table as she washes her hands before dinner. She brought home burgers from the place up the street. As we are eating, I can tell something is bothering her. Mom always has a calm about her, like no matter the situation, she’s the voice of reason. But tonight, there something wrong. Despite being calm in the storm, she wears her heart on her sleeve; it is usually clear what she's feeling. I decided to ease into the subject. I asked her, “ so how was your day at the ER busy, or was it a slow day?” her hands are slightly unsteady when she’s holding the burger “ it was a calm day but nothing major, although cold session in full swing.”  I chuckle, “ well, that’s good. Also, can I go to Carolines this weekend to study for our biology test next week?” Mom smiles for the first time all day “ no problem, honey, so how was school today? How did your presentation go?”  “good, I think I did well.”</p><p>we’re both pretty much done, so I figure now's as good a time as any “ hey mom, can I ask you something ?” mom gets up from her chair, she moves closer to me  “ sure, honey, you can ask me anything you know that'' I haft smile “I know mom I know.”  I take a breath to calm myself. There’s a part that's afraid of the answer. “ Why did you look like you saw a ghost when I bumped into a woman at the coffee shop this morning?” mom looks at the floor, she stands up “ no reason, nothing you need to worry about” mom has always been open with me about everything. We have always had trust in each other. I mean, she works 60 hours a week yet always comes to the winter concerts and any other school event she can. She's always let me forage my path and supported me in every way possible. I hear stories of my friend getting into screaming matches with their parents, and that just not mom and i. But she brushes me off like it was nothing, but there's more going on than she wants me to know. I drop the subject. “ Mom, I have some homework to finish up the night” even though it's only 6 o’clock, I know she won’t bother for the rest of the night. </p><p>When I get to my room, I close the bedroom door and some music on. After I uploaded all the pictures of the documents trying to obtain any information I can, after some online research, I found out the day I was born; four other babies were put up for adoption. Three were boys and one girl. I can’t get a name, though, and it has been blacked out hence a closed adoption. </p><p>The next morning I decide to fake a migraine to get out of going to school. I get them every once in and while, so it's not a stretch. After mom leaves, I get up and get dress, and I found the number for the social worker who handled my adoption. She agreed to meet me at Dell’s coffee house for a meeting. 30 minutes and two outfits changes later. I walk into Dell’s coffee, seeing the woman sitting at a corner table. After a deep breath, I take a seat at the table, the woman, mid 40’s with long dark hair. I hold out my hand. She shakes it and nods. “It's nice to meet you, Ms. Davis. I was surprised to get your call this morning. I do have to ask, aren’t you supposed to be in school, and does your mother know you here?” I smile “ no, my mom has no clue I am here, and no, today is a teacher workshop day.”</p><p>I was nervous that the social worker would not give me information first, but she seemed to relax a bit, so I took it as a good thing. The social worker asks, “ so what information are you looking for?” Before answering, I look down at my notebook. <br/>“honesty, I want a name. I am not even sure I want to reach out or anything” she nods and looks down at the file on the table, she opens it “ well, hon, your birth mother’s name is Emily Prentiss,” I write down her name, then stand up to leave. I shake the social worker’s hand, and she squeezes it “ pieces of advice, don’t get your hopes up.”</p><p>After the meeting, I head home; going right through my room, I put her name into Google, then do an image search. The first picture to come up was the woman I walked into at Dell’s. I click on the photo, and it takes me to an LA Times article about how the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI took down a serial killer. When mom first told me that I was adopted, I had imagined different Scenarios about how my birth mother was and why she gave me up, but an FBI agent who hunts down serial killers was not one of them. After reading a few more articles, learning a few more things about her. I went to the FBI’s website. I got her office phone number, dialled the number, rings twice, and panicked and hung up the phone. The idea of making this phone call scares the hell out of me on the one hand. When I make this call, she will want to have a relationship with me, but I will ruin my mom's relationship. On the other hand, I think that what if she wants nothing to do with me and that I have to deal with the aftermath. </p><p>After the third attempt to make the call, I got past the third ring. She answers the phone “ agent Prentiss?” it takes everything I have to keep my voice steady and calm “ uh hello, this is Emily Prentiss, right ?” “ yes, this is, who is this, and how did you get the number?” taking another steadying breath “my name is Riley Davis, and I..i...I think I’m your biological daughter. You gave up about 14 years ago. I want to meet, but if you want nothing to do with me, completely understand, and I got your number from the FBI website.” the phone goes silent. I thought and hoped she would hang up on me. However, the call’s still alive. “ wow ok, I would well, I’m in colorado working this week. I should be back in DC by Friday. Can I call you to set up a time? '' Ok, sure, call me back at this number” the call ends. I move to sit on my bed. My head is spinning there, so riding on this meeting, what if she hates me and wants nothing to do with me. I feel like the world is spinning around me at 1000 miles and hour. I just lay down in my bed, turning on the tv letting my mind wander. </p><p>EMILY’S POV<br/>To say this case was not going well was an understatement. We had three victims and the 14-year-old who was now missing. I could feel my judgment being clouded, especially after the current victim was grabbed. Jj kept checking in on me throughout the case, which I appreciated. I can feel hotch watching me the whole time. When we finally had a suspect in the case, I volunteered to go through the guy's house, giving myself some space from the others as we stand around the table in the conference room in the police station. When I finalized the profile to give to the cops, I nod along to what the others are saying, not really adding anything else. My head was in it or this case. Frankly, see Riley in that coffee shop a few days ago. It has just completely thrown me off. After I gave her up for a long time, I compartmentalized the whole experience. It was the only time I was able to move forward. When I was attending college, I got attacked one night coming home from my waitressing job. After nearly failing out the following semester, I knew it was time to get some help; if not, it was going to eat me alive. But college was a long time ago. </p><p>We stood around the board, giving our profile to the officer. I look around the room, only catching about a quarter of what the others are saying. When I focus on Morgan, who is just looking at me with his eyebrows raised, “oh, sorry,” I stand up and point to a photo of the crime scene, “this unsub is organized. Everything he does has a purpose. Nothing is accidental. He is patient. He waits for the right girl to be alone. This guy does not make mistakes. The only way we're going to catch this is to force him to make a mistake” hotch cuts, “ that's it, and places remember this guy is extremely dangerous processed with caution.” </p><p>The officers head out on their patrols. I got up from the table I was leaning on, hotch turns to look at me. “ I am not sure what is going on, but there is a 14-year-old girl who is missing. Do I need to pull you off this case?” I look down at the floor, then back up at hotch “sorry, I am here” Hotch walks away. We stand around the station, just waiting for a call to come in. I feel my phone buzzing in my back pocket. I walk past JJ. She looks at me. I point towards the door she nods. </p><p>I step out of the precinct, picking up the “agent Prentiss” the voice on the other end sounds young; she stutters a bit, “ uh hello, this is Emily Prentiss, right ?” I ask, “ yes, this is, who is this, and how did you get the number?” leaning against the wall just outside the precinct main doors. This girl on the other side of the phone specks, “my name is Riley Davis, and I..i..I think I’m your biological daughter. You gave up about 14 years ago; I would like to meet, but if you want nothing to do with me, completely understand, and I got your number from the FBI website.” I rest my head against the wall closing my eyes, placing my hand on the wall, trying to steady myself. Hearing her voice and her actually saying that she's my daughter is something I have dreamed but hearing, but I never thought I actually would. Realizing that I have not actually answered, “ wow ok, I would. Well, I’m in Colorado working this week. I should be back in DC by Friday. Can I call you to set up a time?” I hold my breath waiting for an answer '' Ok, sure, call me back at this number” the phone call ends to say I am left speechless would be an understatement. I lean against the wall trying to catch my breath. When I hear the door open, I look, and it's jj. She leans against the wall beside me. “ you ok” there's a part of me that wants to tell her I am fine, but I know better than to try to lie. “ no, I am not, she uh..uh... Just called me, and she wants to meet when we get back to DC” jj turns and places her hand on my arm. “ what are you going to do” I shake my head. “I don't know, I know what I want to do, which is go, even if it's just one meeting, I think it would put my mind at ease that she's ok, that giving up was the right choice.” jj steps closer to me “ well em its seem like you know what to do then” I nod knowing shes right. The door opens its hotch “we got a lead” jj, and I turn around and walk into the Precinct heading to our cars.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Connections</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” —Richard Bach.</p><p> </p><p>Rileys POV<br/>To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. I woke up that morning and came out of my room, acting really sluggish and slow. I have to convince mom to let me stay home. Today's Friday, so it's her meeting day. She won't be home for lunch to check on me, so I don't have to worry about being home at a certain time. I walk into the kitchen, and she's making her morning coffee like usual. “ morning mom,” I don't move too fast and don't look at the lights in the kitchen. I sit at the table and touch my head. My mom steps over to me and puts her hand on my forehead “ you feelin ok ?” I title my head to look up at her, “ not really, I have a headache, and I think it's going to turn into migraine” she purses her lips and strokes my hair “ go jump back in bed. I will call the school, but today I won't be home during lunch. I have meetings all day” I nod lightly, hug her and go back to bed. I fall back asleep for about an hour. </p><p>Emily and I spoke a few days ago and are meeting up in about two hours at Dell’s. I get up and make a sandwich while I read my book. It's about eleven o’clock when I finally get up to get ready for the meeting. As I am looking through my closet, I feel a bit guilty for not telling me about what I am doing, but I am afraid that she will get upset like I don't think she's good enough. I shake the thought out of my head and attempt to pick out something to wear. Three outfits change later, and I am finally out the door. </p><p>Get to Dell’s coffee house 20 minutes later and take a corner booth. After getting an iced coffee, I pull out a book in an attempt to distract myself from how nervous I am. I look down at the table to see it shaking, confused. I look towards the floor then clue in that it's my leg shaking. I rub my hand on my thighs to calm myself down. </p><p>Hear the door open and lookup. Emily is looking around. I wave at her and walk over to the table. I stand up, but I am not sure what to do. I can tell she's nervous and unsure of what to do, so I stick out my hand, she visibly exhales. We both sit down at the table. I break the silence. “I’m happy that you wanted to meet. I admit I’m pretty nervous” Emily looks at me “ I can understand that when you called me, it was a bit of shock” the waitress comes by and drops a coffee at the table. Emily quirks her eyebrows, and I smile “ I may have asked the barista what you usually order” Emily takes a sip of the coffee and inhales the coffee sent “ thank you” I look down at my notebook in an attempt to ask one of the questions that I want answered. I am about to ask, but Emily jumps in first “ can I ask how you find me?” “I uh... After we bumped into each other here, my mom's look faces, and I knew something was up. I tend to be quite stubborn, so I ended up going through my adoption file. I called the social worker who facilitated the adoption. She gave me your initials and some internet research later I found your number” Emily's face was blank for a second, for a second I thought she was upset. Still, when she smiled I felt a lot more at ease, Emily smiles “ well we have that in common for sure, I have a friend who would be quite impressed with your research skills.” </p><p>The waitress comes and takes our cups from the table. I look past Emily to see that the sun has come out. So I asked, “ why don't we go for a walk and finish talking?” she nods, and we both stand up to leave. I put a five and some change on the table for my drink and tip. Emily does the same. We step outside, “ I assume this is your neighbourhood you lead” I smile “ there is a nice walking path that leads to the park.” we start walking, I look up, taking a deep breath asking the question that has been nagging at me since this Emily agree to meet me I stop and turn towards her “ why did you give me up” we start walking again, Emily tucks her hair behind her hair “ that's a long story, but the shorter version is, my mother is a diplomat, and while I was living in Spain, I was 15 when I got pregnant with you and I couldn't..” she didn’t have to finish the sentence, I knew what she's referencing. We come up to a bench facing a small pond, so we sit and talk, “ so I moved back to America until you were born.” I placed my hand on hers. “ but why did you choose to give me up for adoption?” Emily looks down. “I wanted to have a life and everything that a child should have that I felt I couldn't give you at the time.” I look down at a text from mom, asking how I am feeling? I quickly text her back. Emily asks, “ does she know you're here?” I shake my head “no, I wanted to meet and talk before I told her” Emily nods. </p><p>We continue to talk for an hour, just getting to know each other. It is about 4:30 when I look down at my phone and notice the time mom will be home in about half an hour. I stand up, and Emily follows; we start to walk back to the coffee shop. While we walk, I ask, “ so I have to go home now, so I was wondering if you.. You wanted to uh continue to get to know each other?” we stop in front of Dells. Emily looks down the back at me. “I would love that. I think you should tell your mom and see what she says” I nodded, causes I know Emily's right about telling mom. Emily hands me a paper with her phone number “ here’s my cell phone number, so you can call without having to go through the bureau” I put the phone number in my pocket, we both step forward, and I move in for a huge, Emily hug me back we pull back and go our separate ways. Although it was only one two-hour meeting, I walked away feeling hopeful and excited to see where the relationship will go.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>